Nitride semiconductor light emitting device having a silver p-contact

Abstract

A light emitting device constructed on a substrate. The device includes an n-type semiconductor layer in contact with the substrate, an active layer for generating light, the active layer being in electrical contact with the n-type semiconductor layer. A p-type semiconductor layer is in electrical contact with the active layer, and a p-electrode is in electrical contact with the p-type semiconductor layer. The p-electrode includes a layer of silver in contact with the p-type semiconductor layer. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer are constructed from group III nitride semiconductor materials. In one embodiment of the invention, the silver layer is sufficiently thin to be transparent. In other embodiments, the silver layer is thick enough to reflect most of the light incident thereon. A fixation layer is preferably provided over the silver layer. The fixation layer may be a dielectric or a conductor, the choice depending on whether or not the silver layer is transparent.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.